By James Andayi
In a sweeping move, President William Ruto is set to dismiss Principal Secretaries (PS) and heads of parastatals who fail to comply with audit requirements.
The decision comes on the heels of his recent cabinet shake-up, where several Cabinet Secretaries were also shown the door.
The directive, which mandates strict adherence to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Auditor General’s requests for documentation and details, was cemented during the second National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) meeting. This crucial meeting, involving Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, was chaired by Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia W. Mudavadi and steered by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
A statement from the meeting indicated that any PS or parastatal head facing unresolved audit queries would be dismissed.
“The NDIC noted the Zero Fault Audit Report that seeks not to attract a single audit query from the Office of the Auditor General (AOG). The objective of the Zero Fault Report is to reinforce good governance, integrity, accountability, transparency, and the establishment of global best practices within MDAs by ensuring prudent utilization and management of public resources as well as offering timely and high-quality services to Kenyans,” the statement read.
This move follows President Ruto’s drastic action of dissolving his cabinet after widespread demonstrations against the Finance Bill and increased taxes, which have significantly raised the cost of living. Sources at the meeting reported that some Cabinet Secretaries were visibly unsettled, to the extent of skipping lunch.
The NDIC has also directed Principal Secretaries to ensure that Heads of Accounts finalize all financial statements by August 10, 2024. Furthermore, PSs are required to attend audit entry meetings to mitigate wastage of public resources due to penalties, fines, and legal consequences.
The report highlighted, “While noting that all State Departments had established Corruption Prevention Committees chaired by the Principal Secretaries in person, NDIC directed that each State Department commit to sensitizing staff on ethics, integrity, and anti-corruption. They must undertake corruption risk assessment and mitigation plans and provide all relevant information and documentation to EACC and any other investigative agency probing corruption cases.”
Former Defence CS Aden Duale, who was fired hours after attending the meeting said that the meeting focused on a wide range of national and international issues, underscoring the government’s dedication to tackling developmental challenges and advancing Kenya’s strategic interests.
“Regular updates to the public on project and policy progress were highlighted to keep citizens informed and engaged,” Duale said.
In line with the Public Private Partnership Act, 2021, the NDIC resolved to reevaluate the Private Public Partnership Directorate. This involves analyzing existing projects and their performance to ensure effective and efficient service delivery. The committee also identified capacity gaps and budgetary challenges in government communication, resolving to form a multi-agency team headed by the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary to develop a sustainable, whole-of-government communication strategy.
The NDIC reaffirmed its commitment to hold biannual joint meetings with Cabinet Secretaries to address and direct action towards national development and the implementation of BETA priorities.
